Joint Statement From the ODNI and the DOJ on the Declassification of Renewal of Collection Under Section 501 of FISA

Joint Statement From the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Department of Justice on the Declassification of Renewal of Collection Under Section 501 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act

June 27, 2014

On March 28, 2014, the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) declassified and disclosed publically that the U.S. government had filed an application with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) seeking renewal of the authority to collect telephony metadata in bulk, and that, on March 28, 2014, the FISC renewed that authority. The DNI also announced that the Administration was undertaking a declassification review of the FISC’s March 28th Primary Order.

On June 20, 2014, the DNI declassified and publically disclosed that the U.S. government had filed an application with the FISC seeking renewal of the authority granted in March to collect telephony metadata in bulk, and that, on June 19, 2014, the FISC renewed that authority. The DNI also announced that the Administration was undertaking a declassification review of the FISC’s June 19th Primary Order and an accompanying Memorandum Opinion.

Following a declassification review by the Executive Branch, the DNI has released in redacted form the March 28, 2014 Primary Order, signed by Judge Rosemary M. Collyer. Separately, following a declassification review by the Executive Branch, the FISC published in redacted form the June 19, 2014 Primary Order and an accompanying Memorandum Opinion, signed by Judge James B. Zagel, re-authorizing the collection of bulk telephony metadata under Section 215. The most recent authorization expires on September 12, 2014. These Primary Orders and Memorandum Opinion re-affirm that the bulk telephony metadata collection is lawful.

The June 19, 2014 Primary Order and Memorandum Opinion are available at the FISC’s website, www.uscourts.gov. The March 28, 2014 Primary Order along with the July 19, 2014 Primary Order and accompanying Memorandum Opinion are available at the website of the Department of Justice, www.justice.gov; the website of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, www.dni.gov; and ODNI’s public website dedicated to fostering greater public visibility into the intelligence activities of the Government,